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Review Tribunal

AUSTRALIA

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: RUS30058 Country: Date: 31 2006

Keywords: Russia – – – Skinheads – State protection – Societal attitudes –

This response was prepared by the Country Research Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee or asylum.

Questions

1. What is the attitude to Jews by the state and people (including Cossacks and skinheads) in Russia? 2. What action do the police take to protect Jews? 3. What rights does a Jewish person have to settle in Israel if they have they changed their ?

RESPONSE

1. What is the attitude to Jews by the state and people (including Cossacks and skinheads) in Russia?

According to the US State Department religious matters are not a source of societal tension or overt for most . Many in the Jewish community believe that conditions for Jews have improved – primarily because there is no longer “official “state sponsored”” anti-Semitism and because the community has undergone an institutional revival. Anti-Semitic incidents against individuals and institutions, however, continue to occur. An Israeli report ranks Russia among the worst places in , in terms of anti-Semitic violence, after and Britain. There is also said to be a number of publications and statements by politicians inciting inter-ethnic hatred and . However, there are reports of Jews returning to Russia after having lived in Israel (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1; US Department of State 2006, ‘Societal Abuses and Discrimination’ in Country Reports on Practices for 2005 – Russia, 8 March – Attachment 2; ‘RUSSIA: Israeli diplomat beaten and robbed in St. Petersburg’ 2005, News From Russia, 18 October http://www.newsfromr ussia.com/region/2005/10/18/65547.html – Accessed 19 October 2005 – Attachment 3; Finn, Peter 2006, ‘8 Stabbed at Synagogue in Moscow; Attack Comes Against Backdrop of Rising Anti-Semitic Violence’, Washington Post Foreign Service, 12 January – Attachment 4; ‘Israel charts anti-Semitism rise in Russia, Britain’ 2005, Reuters News, 23 January – Attachment 5; ‘RUSSIA: Rights activist warns of growing xenophobia, neo- threat in Russia’ 2005, BBC Monitoring Research Team, 16 August http://www.gateway2russia.com/s t/art_282225.php – Accessed 22 August 2005 – Attachment 6; Medetsky, Anatoly 2004, ‘A Wave of Jews Returning to Russia’, The Moscow Times, 4 August – Attachment 7; ‘The State of Russian Jewry: An Interview With Chief Berel Lazar’ 2004, The of Jewish Communities In The CIS Website, 15 April http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=130224 – Accessed 8 September 2005 – Attachment 8).

A news article dated September 2005 notes that, although the state no longer perpetuates anti- Semitism, rights groups accuse leaders of being silent in the face of xenophobia “expressed in the occasional desecration of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues and more frequent skinhead attacks against dark-skinned foreigners” (‘Jewish group chides authorities for failing to bar anti-Semitic publisher from book fair’ 2005, Associated Press Newswires, 8 September – Attachment 9).

Some State Duma deputies and other prominent figures expressed anti-Semitic sentiments in a January 2005 letter to the Office of the Prosecutor General. The letter asked the Prosecutor General to conduct an investigation into the country’s Jewish organisations with the possibility of banning them. The State Duma passed a resolution condemning the letter (US Department of State 2006, ‘Societal Abuses and Discrimination’ in Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005 – Russia, 8 March – Attachment 2).

In respect of anti-Semitic statements from government authorities in the US Department of State writes:

Anti-Semitic statements have been legally prosecuted. While the Government has publicly denounced nationalist ideology and supports legal action against anti-Semitic acts, the reluctance of some lower-level officials to call such acts anything other than “hooliganism” remains problematic. There have been multiple cases of anti-Semitic statements from government authorities in some of the country’s regions, specifically in Krasnodar Kray and Kursk (US Department of State 2005, ‘Legal/Policy Framework’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1); and There have been multiple cases of anti-Semitic statements from government authorities in some regions, specifically in Krasnodar Kray and Kursk Oblast, as well as in the State Duma (US Department of State 2005, ‘Legal/Policy Framework’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1).

On the return of synagogues, the US State Department specifically mentions Krasnodar in the following terms:

The Jewish community is still seeking the return of a number of synagogues and cultural and religious artifacts. The FJC [Federation of Jewish Communities] reported that federal officials have been cooperative in the community’s efforts to seek restitution of former synagogues, as have some regional officials, although some Jews assert that only a small portion of the total properties confiscated under rule has been returned.

There was no information indicating that officials returned a synagogue that was confiscated in Krasnodar in 1936. A news service reported in 2003 that regional authorities in Krasnodar officially refused to return the synagogue, arguing that there were no alternative locations to house the occupants (a youth radio school). In December 2004, the mayor of Sochi gave the Jewish community a parcel of land on which to construct a synagogue to replace the small structure now in use. Lubavitch still seeks return of the Schneerson Collection, a revered collection of religious books and documents belonging to the Lubavitcher rebbes. Since 2003 there has been a rabbi in permanent residence in Krasnodar (US Department of State 2005, ‘Restrictions on Religious Freedom’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1).

Incidents against Jews include:

• December 2004: In Moscow three persons stabbed and seriously wounded a Jew riding on a tram (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1);

• January 2005: A Jew was beaten in a Moscow metro station (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1;

• During 2004-2005 Jewish cemeteries were desecrated in , Moscow, , Petrozavodsk, Makhachkala, Irkutsk and St. Petersburg. Synagogues and Jewish community centres were also vandalised (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1);

• In October 2005 an Israeli diplomat was beaten and robbed in St. Petersburg (‘RUSSIA: Israeli diplomat beaten and robbed in St. Petersburg’ 2005, News From Russia, 18 October http://www.newsfromr ussia.com/region/2005/10/18/65547.html – Accessed 19 October 2005 – Attachment 3).

Articles published in 2004 refer to Jews returning to Russia after living in Israel. Reasons for returning from Israel include the economic situation, not feeling comfortable and military service (Medetsky, Anatoly 2004, ‘A Wave of Jews Returning to Russia’, The Moscow Times, 4 August – Attachment 7; ‘The State of Russian Jewry: An Interview With Berel Lazar’ 2004, The Federation of Jewish Communities In The CIS Website, 15 April http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=130224 – Accessed 8 September 2005 – Attachment 8).

Also attached is a report by a Canadian government office on anti-Semitism in Russia between January 2002 and October 2004 ( and Refugee Board of 2004, RUS43106.E – Russia: Anti-Semitism and the government's reaction to it (January 2002 - October 2004), 5 November – Attachment 10).

For information concerning skinhead and Cossack attitudes towards Jews see below.

Skinheads It has been estimated that there are some 50,000 skinheads in Russia in some 85 towns. St. Petersburg reportedly has the largest number (10,000-15,000) followed by Moscow (5,000- 5,500). Other cities with significant numbers include Kaliningrad, Nizhniy Novgorod and Rostov-on-. The primary targets of skinheads, as reported by the US State Department, are foreigners and individuals from the North ; however, they have also expressed anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim sentiments (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1).

A self-declared skinhead has reportedly stated:

“Our ideology is racism above all. We don’t like Tajiks, , Jews — we don’t like anyone of a different race…” (Bullough, Oliver 2006, ‘RUSSIA: Russian skinheads intimidate foreigners’, Reuters, 14 February http://www.mo snews.com/commentary/2006/02/14/foreigne rslive.shtml - Accessed 15 February 2006 – Attachment 11).

Some incidents involving skinheads and Jews are outlined below.

• In January 2006 a skinhead stabbed eight people with a knife at Moscow’s main synagogue. The attack appeared to be the first large-scale hate against Jews in Russia in recent years. The suspect went on trial at the end of February 2006 (Kramer, Andrew E. 2006, ‘RUSSIA: Skinhead stabs 8 in attack on Moscow synagogue’, The Times, 11 January http:/ /www.nytimes.com/2006/01/11/internationa l/europe/11cnd-russia.html - Accessed 12 January 2006 – Attachment 12; Lokotetskaya, Maria 2006, ‘“I hate you all”’, Russian Press Digest – Russica Izvestia, 1 March – Attachment 13).

• Skinheads reportedly attacked a group of Orthodox Jews in the vicinity of the Marina Roscha Synagogue in January 2005. In October 2004 skinheads attempted to enter a synagogue in . Also, in April 2004 it was reported that skinheads beat up a Jewish youth leader and vandalised a Jewish Centre in (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1).

For information on skinheads in Russia see: RRT Country Research 2004, Research Response RUS16777, 2 June, pp.2-21/quests.1-3 – Attachment 14.

Cossacks

Little information was found in the sources consulted on the attitude of Cossacks towards Jews. According to a 1998 Human Rights Watch report Cossack ideology is “virulently” anti- ethnic migrant which often degenerates into a general hatred of all ethnic minorities, including Jews. However, the Institute for Jewish Policy Research has reported that that although there is evidence of anti-Jewish sentiment in some Cossack circles, it is “perhaps unrepresentative” (Human Rights Watch 1998, ‘Summary’ in Russian Federation: Ethnic Discrimination in Southern Russia, August, Vol. 10, No.8 (D) http:///www.hrw.org/reports98/russia/ - Attachment 15; ‘Latest Update: December 1998’1999, Institute for Jewish Policy Research – Attachment 16).

In 2005 an opposition newspaper in was reportedly closed on the grounds that it was inciting tensions between Cossacks and Jews. An article in the newspaper had claimed that had a history of anti-Semitism and now that they were returning to an active role in Russia, it was necessary to ensure they did not return to these anti-Semitic roots. Jewish leaders, however, said that they were “disturbed by the persecution of the journalist” and had no complaints against him (‘Novocherkassk closes independent newspaper’ 2005, Russian Regional Report, 15 March, Vol. 10, No. 5 – Attachment 17).

2. What action do the police take to protect Jews?

Minority groups have reportedly complained that police seem reluctant to prosecute probable racist and instead classify them as hooliganism. Russia’s Jewish leaders have criticised enforcement agencies for not doing more to punish nationalist crimes (Weir, Fred 2006, ‘Intolerance on rise in Russia: At least 40 people killed in racially motivated attacks’, The Edmonton Journal, 30 January – Attachment 18; ‘Russian rabbi criticizes police for “soft approach” on anti-Semitism’ 2006, BBC Monitoring Former , source: RIA Novosti, 11 January – Attachment 19; ‘RUSSIA: Russian Jews blast Moscow over anti- Semitism’ 2005, Haaretz, 6 July http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/sp ages/596298.html – Accessed 8 July 2005 – Attachment 20).

Information in the US State Department report indicates that police have arrested persons in connection with crimes committed against Jews, Jewish cemeteries and synagogues. Police presence has increased around the Marina Roscha Synagogue in response to a request by Jewish leaders (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1).

In the wake of two attacks on synagogues in January 2006 the issue of who was responsible for security at Russian Jewish sites was raised. Initiatives were also announced to increase security at Jewish institutions (‘After Attacks at Russian Synagogues, Jews Taking Security into Own Hands’ 2006, Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS website, 20 January http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=351349 – Accessed 24 March 2006 – Attachment 21).

The article on the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS website states:

…While most Jewish groups are taking security into their own hands, at least one prominent Russian Jewish leader believes the government and police should take charge of the issue.

The Federation of Jewish Communities, Russia’s largest Jewish organization in charge of most of the country’s synagogues, has announced the launch of Magen David, a Jewish security fund.

The group has called on its supporters in Russian and abroad to raise donations toward providing 24-hour security for its institutions and synagogues across Russia. (‘After Attacks at Russian Synagogues, Jews Taking Security into Own Hands’ 2006, Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS website, 20 January http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=351349 – Accessed 24 March 2006 – Attachment 21).

The same article also cites the president of the Russian Jewish Congress who has criticised these steps. He reportedly said that the community should demand that the state take appropriate steps to protect it and Jewish organisations should not try to substitute for police (‘After Attacks at Russian Synagogues, Jews Taking Security into Own Hands’ 2006, Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS website, 20 January http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=351349 – Accessed 24 March 2006 – Attachment 21).

The article continues:

Currently, Russian Jewish institutions hire companies to provide security; only a handful of synagogues can boast of more advanced security systems. Usually, most Jewish institutions have only unarmed security personnel at the doors, similar to what most public places — including supermarkets, restaurants or movie theaters have in Russia (‘After Attacks at Russian Synagogues, Jews Taking Security into Own Hands’ 2006, Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS website, 20 January http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=351349 – Accessed 24 March 2006 – Attachment 21).

Another news article also states that the Jewish Communities Federation and the Moscow police have set up a joint working group to fight anti-Semitism. The issues to be dealt with include security of Jewish community facilities; joint measures were to be also developed to combat anti-Semitism (‘Jewish community, Moscow police to jointly fight anti-Semitism’ 2006, Interfax News Service, 18 January – Attachment 22).

The Russian Regional Report on anti-Semitism in Rostov Oblast stated:

…Rostov Oblast and its capital Rostov-na-Donu has a big problem with extremist Russian nationalist groups. Most of these organizations are relatively small, usually with a few dozen members, though in extraordinary cases, the groups can number in the hundreds. In Rostov, it is possible to buy a wide variety of extremist or anti- Semitic literature. The police and special services generally provide cover for these groups because they see them as a way to keep some form of control over the Caucasus and Central Asian in the region (‘Anti-Semitism in Russia’ 2006, Russian Regional Report, 1 February, Vol. 11, No. 4 – Attachment 23).

The US State Department has reported some police responses to incidents involving the Jewish community in the following terms:

In August 2004, the newspaper “Amurskiy Meridian” reported that in March of that year, police in Khabarovsk detained and beat Sergey Sofrin, a local Jewish businessman, repeatedly insulting him with religious epithets. As of the end of the reporting period, contacts at the newspaper reported that although an investigation of the incident was conducted, the police involved were not disciplined (US Department of State 2005, ‘Abuses of Religious Freedom’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1); … …In December 2004, three young persons stabbed and seriously wounded a Jew who was riding on a tram in central Moscow, in what the MBHR [Moscow Bureau of Human Rights] characterized as a hate crime. The police detained three suspects but soon released two of them, who were later rearrested after a complaint by relatives of the victim…(US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1); … On the evening of January 18, in two separate incidents that occurred 15 minutes apart, several Orthodox Jews were attacked by a group of skinheads while walking in the vicinity of Marina Roscha Synagogue. One of the victims was hospitalized for his injuries. The police arrested two suspects and charged them with hooliganism aggravated by racial hatred; they were convicted of disorderly conduct and inflicting bodily injuries and sentenced to four- and two-year sentences. The judge found there was not sufficient evidence to recognize racial hatred as an aggravating circumstance. After this incident, and at the request of Jewish leaders, Moscow authorities increased the police presence in the vicinity of Marina Roscha Synagogue, and no further incidents have been reported in the area (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1); … In October 2004, a group of skinheads tried to enter the synagogue in Penza, but were stopped by congregants. A group of approximately 40 people armed with chains and iron clubs approached the synagogue later that day. The parishioners locked themselves inside and called the police. The ADL [Anti-Defamation League] reported that the police detained two or three of the perpetrators and forced them to repair the damage they did to the synagogue (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1); … There were no developments in the April 2004 cases of the beating of Ulyanovsk Jewish youth leader Aleksandr Golynsky and the vandalism by skinheads of the Ulyanovsk Jewish Center. The FJC [Federation of Jewish Communities] reported that although suspects had been detained by community members and delivered to the police, they were later released (US Department of State 2005, ‘Societal Attitudes’ in International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November – Attachment 1).

3. What rights does a Jewish person have to settle in Israel if they have they changed their religion?

It is not clear from the sources consulted what rights a Jewish person has to settle in Israel in these circumstances. The Law of Return suggests that a Jew who has voluntarily changed religion does not have rights under this Law. However, there are sources which state that there are Russian Orthodox living in Israel.

The Law of Return, adopted in 1950, gave every Jew the right to immigrate to Israel. In 1970, an amendment extended the right to non-Jews who had a Jewish parent or grand-parent, their spouses and the spouses of Jews. The law also appears to qualify the rights of a person who was a Jew and voluntarily changed religion. The 1970 amendment to the Law of Return is:

4A. (a) The rights of a Jew under this Law and the rights of an oleh under the Law, 5712-1952, as well as the rights of an oleh under any other enactment, are also vested in a child and a grandchild of a Jew, the spouse of a Jew, the spouse of a child of a Jew and the spouse of a grandchild of a Jew, except for a person who has been a Jew and has voluntarily changed his religion.

(b) It shall be immaterial whether or not a Jew by whose right a right under subsection (a) is claimed is still alive and whether or not he has immigrated to Israel.

(c) The restrictions and conditions prescribed in respect of a Jew or an oleh by or under this Law or by the enactments referred to in subsection (a) shall also apply to a person who claims a right under subsection (a).

4B. For the purposes of this Law, “Jew” means a person who was born of a Jewish mother or has become converted to and who is not a member of another religion (‘Law of Return (Amendment No. 2), 5730-1970’ in Embassy of Israel, Canberra 2000, Fax to RRT: ‘Correspondence from the Embassy of Israel, 16 March – Attachment 24). (RRT Library)

The Israeli Embassy in Canberra also noted that the Law of Return gave every Jew the right to immigrate to Israel which it cites as follows:

1. An Oleh’s visa (immigration visa) shall be granted to every Jew who has expressed his desire to settle in Israel, unless the Minister of the Interior is satisfied that the applicant:

1. Is engaged in an activity directed against the Jewish people; or 2. Is likely to endanger public health or the security of the State; or 3. Is a person with a criminal past likely to endanger public welfare (Embassy of Israel, Canberra 2000, Fax to RRT: ‘Correspondence from the Embassy of Israel, 16 March – Attachment 24).

On Russian immigrants and the Law of Return an attorney is quoted by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in the following terms:

[In regards to Russian immigrants], if the Russian in question were Jewish, and were to immigrate together with a non-Jewish spouse, the spouse would be able to enter Israel under The Law of Return. If, on the other hand, the Russian were already an Israeli citizen, his or her spouse, like the non-Jewish spouse of any Israeli citizen, would have to apply under regular immigration rules.

In 1999 the Association for Civil Rights in Israel petitioned the Supreme Court, arguing that the regular immigration rules dealing with non-Jewish spouses of Israeli citizens violated the right to family life, and unduly burdened Israelis who married non-Jewish foreign nationals. In response to this petition, and as a result of criticism voiced by the Supreme Court in the above Stamka case, the Interior Ministry formulated a new set of guidelines.

According to the new guidelines, non-Jewish spouses of Israeli citizens must submit a request to be naturalized as Israeli citizens. Once a preliminary investigation has been conducted (to ensure that the marriage is not a clearly fictitious one, and that there are no security reasons to deny the petition, such as a criminal record), the foreign spouse is granted a temporary visa and work permit for six months. During that period, the Interior Ministry is supposed to more thoroughly investigate the couple's request, and if it is approved, the foreign spouse is then granted a temporary residence permit. The temporary residence permit is granted for a total of four years, but must be renewed very year. As a temporary resident, the foreign spouse is eligible for most social welfare benefits, such as National Health Insurance and the Israeli equivalent of Social Security. Each time the permit is renewed, the couple is required to submit various documents to the Interior Ministry, proving that they are still married and that they continue to maintain a joint household in Israel (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2001, ISR37743.E – Israel: Follow-up to ISR37699 of 24 August 2001 on the policy that non-Jewish spouses of Russian citizens cannot enter Israel under the Law of Return, but instead have to apply under regular immigration rules, 7 September – Attachment 25).

Articles indicate that there is a Russian Orthodox community in Israel.

One recent news article stated that some one million people from the Soviet Union came to Israel in the 1990s. It also noted that the number who “call themselves Christians in private is estimated to run into hundreds of thousands, though most of those are officially listed as having no religion” (Caspi, Tali 2005, ‘Muted Christmas for Russians in the Jewish state’, Reuters News, 18 December – Attachment 26).

Another article on a Christian website states that:

Thousands of former Soviet citizens struggle to balance their identity as Orthodox Christians with their blood ties to the Jewish people (Gelfond, Lauren 2002, ‘The Other Minority’, The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) website, 5 November http://www.hcef.org/hcef/index.cfm/mod/news/ID/16/SubMod/NewsView/Ne wsID/839.cfm - Accessed 28 March 2006 – Attachment 27).

Also from Haaretz.com:

The Russian Orthodox in Israel has not been of much help to the “ethnic Russians.” Someone from the Roman here who is familiar with church matters in general explains: “The local Russian Orthodox establishment is afraid of getting into disagreements with the Israeli authorities and the government ministries on which they depend. This is a weak church and is subordinate in fact to the Greek Orthodox Church, which is having problems of its own at the moment. The Catholic Church, which is stronger, is considering making them an offer of help, on condition they accept Catholicism. Why not? Such things have already happened in history.” (Galili, Lily 2006, ‘Nixing the ethnics’, Haaretz.com website, 28 March http://news.haaretz.co.il/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=272885&contrassID=2&s ubContrassID=2&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y&itemNo=272885 – Accessed 28 March 2006 – Attachment 28).

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources: Government Information & Reports (UN) Non-Government Organisations International News & Politics Region Specific Links Topic Specific Links Search Engines Google search engine http://www.google.com.au/ Online Subscription Services Library Networks University Sites

Databases: Public FACTIVA Reuters Business Briefing DIMIA BACIS Country Information REFINFO IRBDC Research Responses (Canada) RRT ISYS RRT Country Research database, including , Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. RRT Library FIRST RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. US Department of State 2005, International Religious Freedom Report 2005 - Russia, 8 November.

2. US Department of State 2006, ‘Societal Abuses and Discrimination’ and ‘National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities’ in Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005 – Russia, 8 March.

3. ‘RUSSIA: Israeli diplomat beaten and robbed in St. Petersburg’ 2005, News From Russia, 18 October. (http://www.newsfromr ussia.com/region/2005/10/18/65547.html – Accessed 19 October 2005) (CISNET Russia CX137607)

4. Finn, Peter 2006, ‘8 Stabbed at Synagogue in Moscow; Attack Comes Against Backdrop of Rising Anti-Semitic Violence’, Washington Post Foreign Service, 12 January. (FACTIVA)

5. ‘Israel charts anti-Semitism rise in Russia, Britain’ 2005, Reuters News, 23 January. (FACTIVA)

6. ‘RUSSIA: Rights activist warns of growing xenophobia, neo-nazism threat in Russia’ 2005, BBC Monitoring Research Team, 16 August. (http://www.gateway2russia.com/s t/art_282225.php – Accessed 22 August 2005) (CISNET Russia CX132623)

7. Medetsky, Anatoly 2004, ‘A Wave of Jews Returning to Russia’, The Moscow Times, 4 August. (CISNET Russia CX99380)

8. ‘The State of Russian Jewry: An Interview With Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar’ 2004, The Federation of Jewish Communities In The CIS Website, 15 April. (http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=130224 – Accessed 8 September 2005)

9. ‘Jewish group chides authorities for failing to bar anti-Semitic publisher from book fair’ 2005, Associated Press Newswires, 8 September. (FACTIVA)

10. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2004, RUS43106.E – Russia: Anti- Semitism and the government's reaction to it (January 2002 - October 2004), 5 November. (REFINFO)

11. Bullough, Oliver 2006, ‘RUSSIA: Russian skinheads intimidate foreigners’, Reuters, 14 February. (http://www.mo snews.com/commentary/2006/02/14/foreigne rslive.shtml - Accessed 15 February 2006) (CISNET Russia CX146626)

12. Kramer, Andrew E. 2006, ‘RUSSIA: Skinhead stabs 8 in attack on Moscow synagogue’, , 11 January. (http:/ /www.nytimes.com/2006/01/11/internationa l/europe/11cnd-russia.html - Accessed 12 January 2006) (CISNET Russia CX144018)

13. Lokotetskaya, Maria 2006, ‘“I hate you all”’, Russian Press Digest – Russica Izvestia, 1 March. (FACTIVA) 14. RRT Country Research 2004, Research Response RUS16777, 2 June, pp.2- 21/quests.1-3.

15. Human Rights Watch 1998, ‘Summary’ in Russian Federation: Ethnic Discrimination in Southern Russia, August, Vol. 10, No.8 (D). (http:///www.hrw.org/reports98/russia/)

16. ‘Latest Update: December 1998’1999, Institute for Jewish Policy Research.

17. ‘Novocherkassk closes independent newspaper’ 2005, Russian Regional Report, 15 March, Vol. 10, No. 5.

18. Weir, Fred 2006, ‘Intolerance on rise in Russia: At least 40 people killed in racially motivated attacks’, The Edmonton Journal, 30 January. (FACTIVA)

19. ‘Russian rabbi criticizes police for “soft approach” on anti-Semitism’ 2006, BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union, source: RIA Novosti, 11 January. (FACTIVA)

20. ‘RUSSIA: Russian Jews blast Moscow over anti-Semitism’ 2005, Haaretz, 6 July. (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/sp ages/596298.html – Accessed 8 July 2005) (CISNET Russia CX126239)

21. ‘After Attacks at Russian Synagogues, Jews Taking Security into Own Hands’ 2006, Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS website, 20 January. (http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=351349 – Accessed 24 March 2006)

22. ‘Jewish community, Moscow police to jointly fight anti-Semitism’ 2006, Interfax News Service, 18 January. (FACTIVA)

23. ‘Anti-Semitism in Russia’ 2006, Russian Regional Report, 1 February, Vol. 11, No. 4.

24. Embassy of Israel, Canberra 2000, Fax to RRT: ‘Correspondence from the Embassy of Israel, 16 March. (RRT Library)

25. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2001, ISR37743.E – Israel: Follow-up to ISR37699 of 24 August 2001 on the policy that non-Jewish spouses of Russian citizens cannot enter Israel under the Law of Return, but instead have to apply under regular immigration rules, 7 September. (REFINFO)

26. Caspi, Tali 2005, ‘Muted Christmas for Russians in the Jewish state’, Reuters News, 18 December. (FACTIVA)

27. Gelfond, Lauren 2002, ‘The Other Minority’, The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) website, 5 November. (http://www.hcef.org/hcef/index.cfm/mod/news/ID/16/SubMod/NewsView/NewsID/8 39.cfm - Accessed 28 March 2006)

28. Galili, Lily 2006, ‘Nixing the ethnics’, Haaretz.com website, 28 March. (http://news.haaretz.co.il/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=272885&contrassID=2&s ubContrassID=2&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y&itemNo=272885 – Accessed 28 March 2006)